Catholic morality and oaths of office

[Matthew91]

Here is a question concerning taking oaths of office and catholic morality. Many public positions and professions require that one take an oath. Lawyers for example need to take an oath to practice law in particular states, now my question is, considering the key points in such oaths are to uphold the constitution of the united states and the state constitution, is it even moral for someone to take such an oath? What if you live in a state where gay marriage is legal, and seeing as abortion is already legal throughout the country. As a Catholic, what is the code of conduct here? Is it moral to take an oath to uphold a rule of law that permits things we believe to be wrong? What about in other cases where the law is unjust?

 

[PaulfromIowa]

Nothing in the US Constitution is contrary to the Catholic faith so there is no conflict in taking an oath to uphold the Constitution. Those who claim to see a right to abort children or a right to redefined marriage in the Constitution are simply wrong and all Christians should so state.

 

[Matthew91]

Nothing in the US Constitution is contrary to the Catholic faith so there is no conflict in taking an oath to uphold the Constitution. Those who claim to see a right to abort children or a right to redefined marriage in the Constitution are simply wrong and all Christians should so state.

But let us say that there is an amendment in the state or federal constitution that says it is a woman’s right to an abortion, or that gay marriage is legal. It would seem that in such circumstances lawyers and politicians would be obliged to support these constitutions that condone immoral acts. How do we deal with such things in regards to the morality of oath taking? If we take a morally neutral oath, to perform a public duty that does not inherently require use to do or support evil, and if it at some point it puts us in a situation of having to choose between breaking the oath and thus incurring the penalty of sin, or keep the oath and support immoral acts which is also sinful. How do we approach this catch 22?

 

[Matthew91]

And in addition to what I’ve said here, if you swear to uphold the law, ie the constitution and state constitution, does this mean that even minor law breaking like going over the speed limit now comes to constitute a mortal sin because this can be seen as breaking your oath?

 

[bobcrawford]

Yes, if you break the law - without or without the oath, you are committing a sin.

The fact that you are speeding, though mild in your mind, puts people in jeopardy, and therefore it is a sin.

If the Constitution of the United States upholds abortion and homosexual marriage, its not the oath you take that is sinful, it is the enforcement or support of those provisions of the Constitution that put you in a state of sin.

Those are Intrinsic Evils under the teachings of the Catholic Church. So as Biden said, he was personally opposed to abortion, but would allow women to have abortions means he is supporting those Intrinsic Evils and therefore he personally has put himself into a state of sin and why many bishops are stating that they will deny him communion.